The following children's literature experts help us select our books through a rigorous evaluation process.

	Junko Yokota          Kathleen Odean          Susan Hepler Maria Salvadore          Jewell Stoddard          Nina Zolt

Junko Yokota, committee chair, is a professor of Reading, Language, and Children's Literature at National College of Education at National-Louis University, and director of the Center for Teaching through Children's Books. Her work in multicultural literature led to the editing of the third edition of Kaleidoscope, and to receipt of the Virginia Hamilton Award for Contribution to Multicultural Literature. She also specializes in international children's literature, and has served as president of the U.S. National Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (USBBY). She has served on numerous book award and selection committees, including the Caldecott, Batchelder, Newbery, Notable Books for a Global Society Committee, Parenting Magazine Reading Award, and the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Born and raised in Japan, Yokota's commitment to international literature has taken her to many countries.

Kathleen Odean, Chief Librarian of ePals, is a nationally recognized expert and popular speaker on books for young people, best known for her four guides, Great Books for Girls: More than 600 Recommended Books for Girls Ages 3-14 (first published in 1997 and revised in May 2002), Great Books for Boys: More than 600 Books for Boys 2 to 14 (Ballantine, 1998), Great Books about Things Kids Love: More than 750 Recommended Books for Children 3 to 14 (Ballantine, 2002), and Great Books for Babies and Toddlers: More than 500 Recommended Books for Your Child's First Three Years (Ballantine, 2003). Odean was the chairperson of the 2002 Newbery Award Committee as well as a member of an earlier Newbery Award Committee, Caldecott Award Committee, Notable Children's Books Committee, and Carnegie Award Committee for videos. Odean was the contributing editor for children's books at Book Magazine from 1999 to 2003. Before turning to writing and public speaking, Odean worked as a children's librarian for seventeen years in schools and public libraries in California and Rhode Island.

Susan Hepler is an established children's book reviewer and curriculum consultant. For more than 25 years, Hepler has reviewed children's books for School Library Journal, and reviews for CLCD, an online review service and database. A co-author of the standard textbook, Children's Literature in the Elementary School (McGraw-Hill, 2007, 9th edition), and Books Your Kids Will Talk About! (National Education Association, 2003), she often writes about children's literature in the classroom. Hepler holds a doctorate in children's literature, language arts, and reading from The Ohio State University and has taught Children's Literature in several states and in many venues. A resident of Alexandria, Virginia and a mother of two grown children, she currently works in a book store.

Maria Salvadore works as a specialist and consultant in children's literature and literacy. Currently, she reviews books for School Library Journal and Capitol Choices and is on the adjunct faculty at The University of Maryland College Park. Other organizations Salvadore consults with include WETA-TV, the Kennedy Center Education Department, WETA's Ready To Learn project, Reading Rockets and the Catholic Charities Parenting Program. She has been active in the American Library Association including having served on the ALA Council, Notable Children's Book Committee, and as chair of the Caldecott Medal Award Committee. Salvadore served as Coordinator of Children's Services for the Washington, D.C. Public Library system and for the Cambridge, Massachusetts Public Library.

Jewell Stoddard is the director of children's services for Politics and Prose, a prominent Washington, D.C. bookstore. Prior to joining Politics and Prose, Stoddard was one of the founders of the Cheshire Cat Bookstore, one of the first children's bookstores in the country. Throughout her career, she has served on numerous book selection and award committees, including the Caldecott Committee, the Boston Globe Horn Book Award Committee, the Library of Congress Selection Committee, and the Hans Christian Andersen Book Committee. A former teacher, Stoddard continues to consult with schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations on children's book selections.

Nina Zolt, the co-chair, co-founder and chief program architect of ePals and the founder and chief program architect of In2Books, is a lawyer with more than 15 years experience in the media and technology industries. She was a senior executive for a major interactive media venture between Apple and IBM and a partner at a Los Angeles entertainment law firm, representing writers, directors and producers in television, film and publishing. Prior to that, she was an executive at ABC, NBC, and Capitol Records. Currently, she is a member of the Washington, D.C. Board of Directors for Teach for America and the Board of Trustees of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. She is the chairman emeritus of the In2Books and ePals book selection committee. She holds a bachelor's degree from The University of Pennsylvania, a law degree from Boston University School of Law, and an honorary doctorate from National-Louis University.

Our committee of children's literature experts selects books that:

• Can be read independently


• Stimulate discussion


• Increase cultural sensitivity and respect of differences


• Teach problem-solving skills


• Provide role models


• Increase life and career aspirations


• Model successful family, friendship, and group dynamics


• Encourage intellectual growth through progressive complexity


• Raise the quality of reading, writing, and thinking skills

In the In2Books classroom edition, books are selected for each of the Program's five curriculum units -- each unit having a central theme and representing a different genre or topic. In2Books presents several books at different levels on the same topic so students can find a book that interests them and that they can read independently. Units build upon each other to foster self-identity, community, and a sense of the world. During each unit, the student, teacher, and the adult pen pal read the same selection, and then discuss the book orally and in writing online. Students and their adult pen pals are encouraged to ask and answer thought provoking questions. In2Books suggests read-alouds to supplement each core selection. In2Books also provides teachers with lists of additional books that will reinforce and complement the unit's objectives.

In the In2Books home edition, students select intriguing, high-quality books from a wider variety of genres. Similar to the classroom version, students and their ePals - often grand parents, relatives, or family friends - read the same books and correspond about them online in our unique environment.